SNAFU
by Anotherjaneway
Summary: Nothing runs normal for anyone working during a weeknight at Rampart Hospital and Station 51 and the gang faces h*llfire and water in an attempt to end a string of horribly bad luck.


This is a text version of the original still airing imaged, music soundtracked story.

Emergency Theater Live, Episode Twenty Four

24. S.N.A.F.U. Season Three- Episode 24 Short summary-  
Nothing runs normal for anyone working during a weeknight at Rampart Hospital and Station 51 and the gang faces h*llfire and water in an attempt to end a string of horribly bad luck.

****WARNING**** The long summary to come is very story spoiling and will take away plot surprises if you read it now before reading the longer story below it.

Decide now if you want to read this episode's detailed summary before doing so.

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Long Summary-  
A fever sick Dr. Brackett crashes his sports car into a tree and Station 51 responds to free and treat him. Joe Early and Dixie McCall organize his surgical teams. The gang decides to BBQ at Stoker's house for some weekend R&R.  
Unexpected lightning strikes Chet and Roy on the patio from the sky above the golf course. Gage struggles to keep DeSoto viable. At Rampart, Kel saves a fellow patient from a broken off I.V. catheter moving through an arm. Dixie and Kel renew romantic ties. The gang visits those injured at Rampart,  
bringing a cake. Station 51 handles a massive rescue effort during a burst water dam incident. In the process, grisly evidence of a mass murderer are discovered during their swift water rescue. The staff at Rampart discuss the week's snafu effect with their doctor and paramedic patients after the call is over.

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The Story Unfolds...

Season Three, Episode Twenty Four.  
S.n.a.f.u. Debut Launch: August 1st, 2005. *  
From: "Mark" Date: Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:41 am Subject: ( Episode 24 opening scene )

Dr. Kelly Brackett stumbled into the shower. His head was pounding and he knew his temperature must be at least 102. He grabbed the bottle of Tylenol and swallowed them with a gulp of water. He felt that he had to get to Rampart, not as a patient, but because the ER was short staffed. Mike Morton had left for vacation in New York last Saturday and wasn't due back for a full ten days.

It didn't enter his fevered mind that Dixie would take one glance at him and chew him out for even attempting to come to work. Perhaps most of the lecture would take place the NEXT time he came to work though. After putting on his plaid suit, Kel picked up his medical bag and trudged out to his car. Checking the clock, seeing it was 11:30 p.m., he muttered. "If only I hadn't scheduled myself on the graveyard shift."

He got in his car and carefully backed out his driveway. After driving for a few minutes Kel started to wonder if he was doing the right thing. He stopped at a red light and started to alertness when the car behind him honked. It was a couple of teenagers in a convertible. He looked up and realized that the light had turned green already. As soon as he passed through the intersection, the other car whipped around him, effectively cutting him off. Kel grimaced as he saw one of them make a rude gesture at him. He slammed on the brakes to avoid a collision.

Shaking from the near miss, it occurred to him that maybe he had not made the right decision. "I'm so tired of feeling this rotten," he stated to the empty road. Flexing his stiff neck he slowly continued down the road. ::Oh, no.:: Kel thought, as his physician mind kicked in, ::Please don't let this be meningitis.:: His dread grew as he added up his symptoms. Suddenly he realized he was driving much too fast.

His car careened, narrowly missing an oncoming car.  
Unfortunately, feeling the way he did, his reactions were slowed and he realized too late, that he had launched his car over the curb. As his car began to flip, it glanced a parked car, then crumpled into a large tree.

The car landed on its right side, the front of the car crumpled in, breaking both legs. His windshield shattered on impact,  
spraying Kel with glass. Pinned against the steering wheel, he drew a ragged breath. He knew he had broken ribs. Pain ran down and radiated through his body.

::Why is a tree branch sticking out of my shoulder?:: he wondered, as the darkness claimed him.

------------------------------------------------------------

##Station 51, single car accident, 110th block of Torrence Blvd.  
Time out: 23:59.##

John Gage bounded into the driver's seat, joined by Dwyer because he knew that Roy was at home recovering from a minor injury that he had taken on a prior shift. He led the engine out of the bay, unknowingly, to rescue his boss and friend.

"Station 51 at scene." Captain Stanley radioed to dispatch.

John and Dwyer looked at crumpled heap of metal in front of them. A feeling of dread came over Johnny. "Please don't let me be right," he spoke out loud.

"Right?" Captain Stanley said, "What do you mean, John?"

"I think that is Doc Brackett's new car," John replied.

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Photos: None.

*  
From : wone3  
Sent : Sunday, August 14, 2005 10:59 AM Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] The Start of an Long Night

As Dr. Brackett's accident was happening, Dixie McCall was pulling into Rampart's employee parking lot. Though she loathed the graveyard shift, she still scheduled herself to the shift in regular intervals.

It was one of many reasons that she had the respect of her nursing staff, as most supervisors wouldn't work the shift unless they were needed. Of course it didn't hurt that both Kel Brackett and Joe Early were working the shift with her. The three of them were the closest of friends and did a bunch of activities together. Dixie looked around the parking lot and spotted Joe's car almost immediately but didn't see Kel's.

:: That's strange, he's usually here by now in his office.. :: she thought. :: Of course, he could have had car trouble and his car isn't here. :: she continued her thought process.

She knew the only way to find out was to go inside. She exited her station wagon, locking it up as she went and headed for the emergency room doors to get ready for work. As she headed for the nurse's locker room to change, she walked by Dr. Brackett's door. She noticed it was shut, but knocked at the door and tried turning the handle. She was surprised to find the door locked but figured that he must be running later than she was and went to get ready for work.

About ten minutes later, she left the room ready for work. As she exited the door, she nearly ran over Joe Early in the hallway. "Hi Dix, I see you got stuck, too, huh?"

"Yeah, Joe. I scheduled myself to work with my two favorite doctors though, so at least the shift would be bearable. But it looks like I might be pulling a double shift since I hear we are down four nurses due to this flu going around. Hey Joe, You haven't seen Kel yet have you? I needed to ask him a question."

Joe was about to answer when they were interrupted.##Dr. Early and Nurse McCall to the Base Station stat. Dr. Early and Nurse McCall to the Base Station stat.##

They both hurried down the hall to answer the call.

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Photos: None.

*  
From : Champagne Scott Sent : Thursday, August 18, 2005 2:35 PM Subject : The Woody Jumble..

The night was thick with late evening darkness.

Gage peered into the cab of the shattered maroon sports car and recognized Brackett's leather jacket and cologne right away. He heard an effective rate of labored breathing but the doctor didn't answer to his name at all, nor did Gage see any attempt at voluntary movement, from where he crouched.  
"It's his. Positive I.D., Cap."

Cap tried some wry humor. "Looks like lightning's struck twice here for the doc, unfortunately. Ok, let's get to work, gang!" Stanley immediately stopped Gage with a hand on his arm when the dark haired paramedic stuck his head in to climb inside.

Johnny licked his lips with uncharacteristic stress and more than a little dread.

"John, you guys gonna be all right working on him like this?" he asked, realizing the huge weight knowing a victim would have on his paramedic team.

"Cap, don't call another squad." swallowed Dwyer. "We'll handle it. In fact, we'd rather know what's going on with Brackett, good or bad, than let a total stranger station learn about it first. Besides, who can care for him better than the best possible people he's trained personally to date?" insisted Dwyer as he began to jack open the driver's door frame with a crowbar. "Roy's not here, but I'll do.."

Hank hesitated, but as the sounds of difficult breathing began to falter due to the awkward positioning Kel lay in, he held up a warning finger. "Just this once...Let me know what you need the instant you figure it out." he ordered.

Dwyer and Gage nodded mutely and squirmed into the car even before the gas had been pushed away with water.

Their flashlights disappeared inside as they got to the injured doctor's side.

"Marco! Stoker! Get a covering inch and a half. There's gasoline all over the place. Then grab the spreaders!  
We're not using a K-12 on this tree unless we absolutely have to!" Cap got on his handy talkie. "L.A., Engine 51. We have a single vehicle crash with a live victim. Notify the ambulance company. Station 51's out one hour.."

##Engine 51. Your ambulance ETA is reported at twelve minutes.##

"10-4, L.A."

Hank got busy grabbing the resuscitation gear.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh, man. Would you look at this?" Johnny said to his partner.  
"A tree branch's been shoved clear through a shoulder."

Dwyer immediately got on Brackett's head, opening his airway with a modified jaw thrust and provided firm immobilization for his neck. "The left side...Above the first and second ribs?" he asked as he bent to listen closer for the exact quality of Kel's shuddering respirations.

Gage knew that below meant cardiac damage, a pneumothorax, or worse. He got out his clothes shears and started cutting. "Above.  
and the blood's not bright or frothy."

"Brownie points for us. Come on, Kel. Show us more......" Dwyer mumbled,  
as Johnny searched lower, slicing down to bare skin as he got rid of the doctor's clothing.

"Some rib involvement, but no sucking chest wound .  
and two broken legs.." Johnny spoke swiftly as he gingerly shucked off both of Brackett's shoes to check for a Babinski's. His reflexes, were normal. "Back so far, seems clear. Let me check it out closer. "  
said Johnny as he felt and examined Brackett's spine under the bright swathe of flashlight illumination. "Any pulmonary blood?"

"No, but he's getting cyanotic for some reason, in spite of a good airway. And he's awfully warm to me." Dwyer said.

"Head injury?" Johnny asked, adding the elevated temp and slow, noisy breathing symptoms together.

"Don't know yet without a BP..."

"I'll get it.." murmured Johnny, hurrying even faster than before.  
"Check his head once Marco gets in here with a collar."

Dwyer shouted into the air. "Cap! O2 on the fly! His color's turning!"

Hank fed the unit through the side window that Stoker had just compromised. "Here.. He awake?"

"Sort of.." Dwyer stated, "He makes noise on pain. See?" he demonstrated by rubbing a firm knuckle into Kel's breastbone. At the same time, Johnny pinched his Achilles tendon, hard.

Brackett moaned but didn't try to push the saliva or blood, out of his mouth. This Johnny drew away with suction. "Cap, tell Rampart that he's reactive only to pain. And read this off..." he said, handing his notepad out of the car. "We'll have vitals for ya in a second.  
We're gonna vent him for a minute or so until his color improves before we do that."

Hank set up the biophone and started giving a report to a very very quiet Joe Early.

Gage professed confusion as to Kel's mild stridor. "His chest's clear." he said pulling off his stethoscope. "No artifact at all.  
I can't tell if his heart sounds are muffled. Not with all this noise going on.." he said of the working jaws and chain springing the dashboard away from them.

"I'm putting in a nasopharyngeal on the right side. His gag's negligable." Dwyer said.

"Here's the demand valve. I got a mask on his stomach whenever he's set for that. Marco!" Johnny shouted.

"Yeah!" hollered Lopez.

"Get in here with a short board and that C-Collar. We're ready for ya!" he said as both he and Dwyer checked the placement of the NP and the effectiveness of the light ventilations Johnny was triggering on Brackett's inhalations. "He's gonna need full spinal immobilization! And that's after we deal with a shoulder impalement! It's got him pinned in here real good!"

"You got it, pal. Collar coming first."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hank could drop a pin over the airwaves as the gray haired physician and mouse quiet nurse stayed that way while he reiterated his patient report off of Gage's notes.... " C-spine's clear so far,  
all reflexes are intact. However, he needs some airway support with an NP."

Joe's voice literally cracked after a sigh of relief that he couldn't hide to save his soul. ##...10-4, 51. What are his vital signs? ##

Hank got another scrap of paper from the dark hole and he plugged his ear as he read the information in the glow of the Ward's headlights for Rampart. "..BP's 88/46, respirations unassisted are deep at nine.  
Pulse is 130 and thready. Rampart, my paramedics note that our victim is semi comatose but febrile without a head injury."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dixie was afraid to move while she wrote down the information in a haze of surreality. "Sounds like he's got that d*mned flu going around.  
Maybe that's why he crashed..." she whispered.

Joe thumbed the talk button again on the base station receiver.  
"51, I suspect an infectious etiology to explain the fever. Ignore that for now. Monitor vital signs, splint both legs and get him on a spine board, with full head, back and neck immobilization.

Start two large bore I.V.'s of normal saline, on the uneffected arm.  
Run them in until you've reached his haemodynamic stability level.

Immobilize the tree branch, without removing it, as best you can, once you get him free. Re-evaluate his chest , heart and lungs every minute. Keep an eye on his consciousness level and let me know when either that or his cyanosis improves. Any muffled heart sounds may indicate developing tamponade. Watch for it and treat accordingly."

##10-4, Rampart. Two I.V.s of NS, leg splints, complete long board and relative stabilization of the stabbed shoulder. Re-examine breathing and heart sounds continually. Stand by for another vitals set,  
Rampart...## came Captain Stanley's voice.

"Standing by."

In the few seconds that took, Dixie started shaking. "Oh, my god, Joe.  
This is really Kel, isn't it? I- I mean ....couldn't they be mistaken about him? It's full night out there."

"What do you think, Dixie? Now you know and I know that those firemen out there are just too good to make a mistake like that.  
Ever. Let's just concentrate on getting Kel the best surgeons possible and take things one step at a time, once we get him in here, ok?"

Dixie nodded, but then she frowned. "Can you treat your best friend, Joe?  
Regulations say no."

"The regulations be d*mned. It's nearly midnight and there's no one else readily available with my qualifications. I'll weather that administrative storm once Kel's been stabilized in surgery and is resting comfortably."

That ended the conversation most effectively.

Both the stunned doctor and nurse turned back to the speaker phone and tried not to bite their lips as they heard the sounds of shouting, sawing and orders coming over the open phone.

For some reason, Cap hadn't muffled the mouth piece.

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"Get a hose on that, now!" Hank yelled to Chet.

A spark had ignited a puddle under the door opposite the driver's open one.

"Cap!!" shouted Johnny and Dwyer. Gage pinched off the O2 line, even as he pulled in his feet from the bottom of the fire on his side of the car. "We've got a burn here!"

##Kelly's on it! Keep sawing in there..## Cap reassured through his belt HT.  
##He's pushing it out from under ya as we speak!##

Johnny blinked as blood droplets sprayed his face from the wood and bark stake's base as Marco bit into it once more with a handheld hatchet saw. "Easy...easy... go slower! His BP's dropping with all the vibrating going on!"

Brackett began to moan in pain. And he began to speak. "..fire, Johnny....got to get out.." he gurgled on dirt and blood.

Gage sucked it away with an active wand.  
"Doc. We're ok. They're not gonna let us burn. How's your chest doing?"

"You mean ...besides feeling that d*mned tree driving ...clear through it?"

"Yeah.."

"I'm still breathing..." he gasped.

Johnny cracked a grin. "A lot better than you were before."

"What-- what else is wrong with me?"

"You've got a broken tib on the left, a tib/fib on the right. Both closed. And some uncomplicated rib fractures on the left. How's your head?"

"I....got a headache. But Johnny.. I had that before....the crash.."  
Kel whispered. "I think I'm sick... Very sick. You both protect yourselves.  
You hear me?"

"Too late for that, doc. We're already in the thick of it. Besides, there ain't a bug alive that can keep a fireman down. I speak from experience, remember?" Gage grinned. "Now you just concentrate on breathing in this oxygen. We're starting to get signs of pulsus paradoxus on you and that may not be just because we're moving this maple off ya."

"H-how bad?" Kel gasped.

"Around a twenty point drop in your systolic on every inhalation..."

Brackett sighed.. "I'm tamponading or..I've...most likely got ..an aortic contusion going on. How's my pressure ..reacting in my arms and legs?"  
he asked weakly while Marco slid a Kendrick short board next to his head around the snugly fastened collar the doctor now wore.

Dwyer responded, looking up from a set of thigh BPs he had just taken. "All four are equal, doc. No drop in the legs and no hypertension in the arms."

"That's a relief... but, we all know I'm....not out of the woods, yet.."  
he said swallowing around the uncomfortable soft rubber nasopharyngeal airway hanging partially down the back of his throat.

"That a pun, doc?" Lopez quipped.

Brackett tried to smile. "Who's on, tonight, who's....got me?"

"It's Joe, doc. An ortho and thoracic surgeons team is already standing by." Johnny replied.

"Let me talk to him.."

"Sorry, doc." said Dwyer, turning up both of Kel's I.V.s. "Can't oblige. Against regulations. And besides, there's a fire between us and the phone.."

"No there isn't....about the fire, I mean. I just heard Chet Kelly announcing that he smothered it out a minute ago with some foam."

"Still too far away.." Gage teased seriously. "Cap's out there and the reception'll probably be cut off in here. So, answer's still...nope."

"Come on, Johnny. I order y--"

"Wrong, doc. You're not my doc anymore. Not since you started bleeding and we started trying to stop it. So hush up and quit twitching your good arm around like that. You'll infiltrate your I.V.s." Johnny said.

Brackett's ire was squashed as a fresh jolt of agony lanced through his shoulder as Stoker shifted a large piece of tree away from his body. His awareness started to fade. "Round two, later, Johnny.  
Use an ET, rapid sequence,...if I ...."

Kel blacked out.

"Dr. Brackett?...Dr. Brackett?" Johnny prompted, feeling for his carotid.  
"Can you hear me?" he shouted over the loud buzzing of the jaws.

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Photos: None.

*  
From : Mark Sent : Monday, August 22, 2005 3:36 PM Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] The rescue continues....

"His pulse is weak and thready." John announced after checking his carotid. "We need to get him out of here, NOW! BP has fallen some. 84/40."

Fortunately the last piece of the tree Mike had removed left only about a foot sticking out of Kel's shoulder. The back side had already been cut to enable them to get the backboard in place.

Dwyer took a careful hold, supporting Kel, securely holding the backboard. Johnny quickly wrapped the portion of the tree limb that still impaled Kel, securing it in place and immobilizing Kel's arms.

The car gave one final jerk as the engine crew worked the jaws, prying the dashboard off, freeing Kel. Johnny carefully placed the splints on and secured Kel's legs to the board.

"Let's get him out of here." Johnny said tersely. ::I never dreamed how hard this rescue would be.:: Johnny thought to himself. ::I hope I never go through the rescue of a person I know again! If I can't have my partner, I'm glad it's Dwyer here. But I sure wish Roy was here instead.::

They carefully lifted Kel, setting him on the waiting gurney.

"Cap, let's get the equipment in the ambulance." Johnny requested. "We'll update in route." Cap quickly transferred the biophone to the ambulance. Marco handed in the rest of the equipment. Johnny and Dwyer climbed in. Captain Stanley shut the doors and gave them the traditional two thumps.

"BP is still 84/40." Dwyer advised. "His pulse is the same - 130 and thready."

Johnny listened to Kel's heart and lungs again. "Drat! I'm hearing more stridor." Johnny said. He picked up the receiver to contact Rampart.

"I'll get him patched in." Dwyer said.

"Rampart, this is Squad 51." Johnny called in.

##Go ahead, 51.## answered the anxious voice of Dr. Early.

"Rampart we have extricated victim and are in route. Our ETA is 10 minutes. Just prior to extrication patient was conscious and oriented. Patient advised he had a headache before the crash and believes he is very sick. He advised us to use safety precautions. Patient has lost consciousness. BP is now 84/40, pulse 130 and thready, respirations are labored with increasing stridor. We have him patched in and are sending you a strip. This will be lead two."

##10-4, 51. We're standing by for your next update.##

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Roy DeSoto was awakened by someone pounding on his front door. He'd just dropped off to sleep after spending an hour tossing and turning. "I'll get it." he told Joanne. He threw on his robe and went to answer the door. Opening it, he saw his neighbor, Bill, anxiously standing there.

"Bill? What's wrong?" he asked.

"Judy's in labor." he told Roy. "She says it is time but our car won't start."

Roy smiled and held up his broken left wrist. "It's your lucky night, Bill! I should have been at work, but for this. I'll be over with the car in a flash."

Roy dashed back to his bedroom. "Judy is in labor." he told Joanne. "Bill says the car won't start so I'm going to take them to Rampart." He quickly dressed, leaned over to give Joanne a kiss, and then headed out. He grabbed his keys and wallet from the kitchen and hurried to the car. He drove next door, jumped out and helped Bill get Judy situated in the back seat. They quickly headed to Rampart.

"They told us to come to the maternity entrance." Bill advised Roy.

"Sure thing, Bill." Roy said. The drive was short and soon they arrived at Rampart. Roy dropped them off. "Give me a call when you need a ride home, Bill." Roy told him.

"Thanks for everything, Roy!" said a thankful Bill as he helped Judy out of the car.

::It's after midnight and I'm wide awake:: Roy thought. He drove around the hospital and found himself going past the emergency entrance. ::Oh, what the heck. I might as well go in and see who is here.:: He parked the car and casually strolled in the entrance. ::It doesn't look very busy right now:: he thought to himself.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Kel moaned, starting to surface to consciousness once again. "Wake up, Doc." Johnny said. He gave Kel a sternal rub again. "Come on, Kel! Talk to me." ordered Johnny.

Kel looked up into the lighted ambulance and moaned, "My head hurts." he complained. "Ahhh, the lights!"

"Hang in there, Kel. We're almost there." Johnny told him.

"Oh man, Johnny. I really messed up this time, didn't I?" Kel said.

"Hey, Doc, give yourself a break." Johnny replied. "You're human. You know as well as I do that when a person gets sick, they don't always use the best judgment. Remember, you're talking to the man who rappelled down a high rise with that monkey virus."

"Yeah, you're right." Kel sighed. "Dixie's gonna have my head on a platter, though."

"It's o.k., Doc." Dwyer chipped in. ::I need to think of something positive for him to focus on.:: thought Dwyer. ::I know!:: "You'll be able to make it up to her with a nice dinner. You know how much she loves that swanky restaurant you've taken her to in the past."

"Rampart, this is Squad 51." Johnny spoke into the biophone.

##Go ahead, 51.##

"Rampart, victim has regained consciousness and is complaining of a headache as well as light sensitivity. Vitals remain the same."

Kel found himself suddenly feeling very nauseous. He tried to voice his difficulty, but as he opened up his mouth to say something, he realized he was too late. He weakly began to vomit.

Johnny dropped the biophone and grabbed the suction wand. Dwyer quickly unstrapped the backboard from the gurney and turned Kel up on his side.

------------------------------------------------------------------

##Easy, Kel. We've got you.## Dix and Joe heard Johnny say over the sounds of retching.

"They'll be here soon, Dix." Joe commented looking at his watch.

"Treatment one is ready." Dixie answered. "I'd better prepare the nurses."

##Rampart, this is Squad 51.##

"Go ahead 51." Joe answered again.

##Rampart, vitals remain unchanged. Patient has vomited. ETA about 1 minute.##

"10-4, 51. We'll be waiting." Joe replied.

Dix went out to the desk. Carol and the newly promoted nurse, Sharon, were at the desk.

"We have a patient coming in." Dixie told them. "This one isn't going to be easy for any of us. The patient is Dr. Brackett. He has multiple trauma injuries and probably some kind of infectious etiology. We'll be taking him straight into room one. Please head in there now and double check that everything is in order."

"Yes, Miss McCall." came the shocked reply from both nurses. They hurried into room one.

Dixie looked up to see Roy heading down the hall. He stopped at the desk and gave her a grin.

"Quiet right now, huh? I just brought my neighbors into maternity." he said. "It's their first baby. Guess it is a lucky thing I broke my wrist last shift because their car wouldn't start." Roy stopped and studied Dix. It dawned on him something was not right at all.  
"Dix? What's wrong?" he asked. Roy had rarely seen Dixie this upset before. ::The last time I saw her this upset was when Joe needed heart surgery.:: Roy thought.

"It's Kel, Roy." Dixie said. She bit her trembling lip.

"Dix?" Roy anxiously questioned.

"Johnny and Dwyer are bringing him in now." she told him. "He crashed into a tree. Probably because he is pretty sick."

Shocked, Roy could only say, "Oh, no!"

Joe came out of the base station. "Hi, Roy." Joe paused and took a deep breath and tried to mentally prepare himself. "Let's go. They're here, Dix." He said.

They heard the ambulance backing up by the doors.

"We're set up in room one." Joe called out as the ER doors opened.

They rushed him into the room and quickly transferred him to the treatment table.

Kel gasped for breath and cried out, "I...."

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Photos: None.

*  
From : patti keiper Sent : Wednesday, August 24, 2005 4:14 AM Subject : The Heart of the Matter is.....

"What, Kel?" Dixie said immediately after she pointed to Carol and Sharon to switch over Brackett's oxygen supply to the wall's port hub. "Can you tell us what's happening now?"

But Dr. Brackett wasn't able to voice anything more.

Joe Early looked to Roy, who had followed them into the trauma room. Early quickly listened to Kel's chest for signs of why he was having so much trouble breathing.  
"Roy, would you call for the respiratory therapy and anesthesiology team stat? He can't wait until he gets to surgery for that endotrach tube. We need to put him under sooner rather than later. "

"You got it.." DeSoto said, moving swiftly to the phone.

"Want me to help him, doc, until they get here?" Gage offered.

"Yes, on that ambu again, but real light. I'm hearing a definite pericardial friction rub with Kussmaul's and Ewart's sign with developing aortic regurgitation." Joe said firmly as he checked and double checked the entry and exit points of the tree branch into and out of Kel's shoulder. "Something's bringing on this cardiac tamponade but it's definitely not trauma related. His vitals don't add up for that. He's got an area of dullness to percussion at the tip of the left scapula and a clear rise in JVP on inspiration forming. See?" said Joe as he pointed to the veins in Kel's neck ballooning out when Johnny helped him breathe in on the bag.

Dwyer whispered. "Sorry we missed that out there, Doctor Early.  
Things were noisy with the jaws and all the car cracking."

"Effects nothing. This is probably a new finding that just started happening because he's been physically active trying to vomit. You fellas did an absolutely terrific job out there...and from the both of us,..we thank you wholeheartedly." Joe said about Dixie and himself. Then he began to snap out lab orders to Carol and Sharon. "Carol, draw bloods and have the lab run a creatine kinase and isoenzyme levels series, a CBC with differential, a PT, a PTT, an antinuclear antibody assay, and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate."

"Yes, doctor." Carol said.

Early turned to Sharon. "Let's stave off volume depletion, right now.  
Confirm type and cross him off the I.V. line then set up a piggy back TKO blood transfusion. Then I want you to begin another NS with dobutamine at 0.5-1 mcg/kg/min IV and titrate until you hear better compliance in his pericardium by auscultation. That med will definitely get his heart, stroke volume and cardiac output increasing without dilating the blood vessels in the rest of his body where any internal bleeding we don't know about yet, might take hold."

Sharon the R.N., nodded. "Yes, Dr. Early. Right away."

Johnny tried to smile around his obvious, silent worry. "You have a medication that acts like a chemical mast suit? I didn't know you guys had stuff like that in your drug arsenal.."

"It's a brand new therapy, Johnny. Kel okayed the preliminary human trials himself two months ago. I'm just glad the whole experiment worked out fast enough to help the man who instigated it all. " Early said calmly even as his hands worked fast to assess his best friend.

"And how..." Dixie said in agreement.

Joe went on. "Dwyer.. get him going on a twelve lead. I wanna see the whole picture as soon as we can get it." he looked up. "Roy, add a cardiologist and senior radiologist specialist to interpret the films we'll be getting of his chest, complete spine and bilateral legs and get Kel's cardiothoracic surgeon in here a bit faster!" he called out to the paramedic.

DeSoto picked up his pace with the switchboard nurse over the black stat phone.

Meanwhile, Dixie was getting another set of vitals and she wrote them down on the skin of Brackett's shivering stomach with a pen so the surgical team would have them in plain sight along with the time they were taken. "Kel, try to settle down and let Johnny do the work of breathing for you. Just a few more minutes,.. then it's off to sleep. It'll be a fast end to all this pain you're feeling, I promise you."

Brackett ignored her in a shock delirium. "Joe.. *gasp.  
J-.." he waved a weak hand to his sweating forehead and his eyes asked, ::What about the fever?::

Joe grabbed his hand and pulled it back down under the backboard straps. "I know, Kel. I know. I don't think what you have is contagious. Think about it. You have a classic Beck triad going on....Little, if any chest pain, in spite of this shoulder involvement, along with a prominent fever and chills without any other clearly obvious cold or flu symptoms.. What does it add up to? And no,  
this isn't meningitis. Your stiff neck was probably just you sleeping twisted up wrong on a pillow last night. Your deep tendon reflex reactions don't float that theory one iota."

Brackett's eyes squinted into a faint frown of confusion.  
Then his features folded into self discovery as he put two and two together.

"Yep." said Joe. "You've probably got an acute case of purulent pericarditis going on. The blood work will show us exactly what bacteria's the annoying culprit. Although I'm suspecting Neisseria since you felt lousy enough to wrap yourself around that tree with your brand new sports car." he quipped. "I'll have the surgical team tell us what they plan on the table when they explore and repair that left shoulder so we can tell you all about it when you hit recovery. Ok? You aren't gonna die here. Not with these findings.  
That falling tree missed the bullseye and the whole target for that matter. And I'll prove it to you with your slides. I'll just bet your left subclavian and left carotid arteries' integrities are unscathed apart from a little bruising. And I now know that you have absolutely no aortic hemorrhaging going on.  
Look..." he said, tearing off the running EKG strip that Dwyer had collected. He held up the roll like a scroll over Kel's pillow so he could read it. "You're just in sinus tach with simple PR segment depression with an alternation of your QRS complexes, in a 2:1 ratio."

"Electrical....alternans?.." gasped Kel. He used the next breath Gage gave him on the bag to whisper. "...are you ...sure?"

"Is my hair gray?" Joe smiled. "It's alternans. Your heart's slipperier than an eel inside its sac. But not grossly so. And I didn't hear any aortic complaint, at all. Not even a whisper of any. Your tamponade will be an easy fix. Maybe just an echocardiographically guided pericardiocentesis. I'll authorize the Swan-Ganz catheter myself anticipating Dr. Weathers. That way we can sclerosely effuse your pericardium with a family of tetracyclines and corticosteroids through the pericath to get ahead of whatever heart germ you've managed to pick up. There'll probably be no chest cracking this time around, you lucky son of a---"

Kel tried to chuckle and finally, he let go of his consciousness.

Gage changed his head hold to compensate for that as he kept Kel's lungs expanding enough to matter without causing any more jugular vein distension with all of his ambu work.

The ekg began to slow from its frightening, racing level.

Dixie sighed in relief as she handed Kel's stat chart for Joe to sign for all the labs and treatments Carol had scribbled down at his recitation. "Now that's the only benefit I've ever found having a doctor for a patient. I've learned a milestone lesson this morning everybody. Seems no one can calm a doctor down ...better than another doctor."

Joe ordered another medication set. "Sharon. Start him on Ampicillin, given IV every 4 hours plus Gentamycin, given every 8 hours. It's time we nip this transient pericarditis in the butt."

And about Dixie's calculated commentary, he telegraphed absolutely nothing at all ...past a pair of faintly raised eyebrows.

Soon, the x-ray, respiratory and surgical teams got working as one in a smooth, orchestrated knot of aid, around Kel.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not long after, the three paramedics retreated back to the station to come to terms with the whole unreal ball of wax with the rest of the gang.

Roy was more than willing to hang out and talk about it.

He said....

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photo: Joe outside the surgical emergency room.

Photo: Another paramedic in a close up. Chosen to be Dwyer.

Photo: Brackett in a hospital bed.

Photo: X-ray slides of a tamponaded and a normal heart.

Photo: A tamponade ekg strip of a 134 beats a minute.

Photo: Dix, Joe and Gage surrounding a treatment gurney with a chest bared, cardiac monitored Kel.

*************************************************** From: "Cory Anda" Date: Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:09 pm Subject: The Cookie Chat..

"I still can't believe I walked into that stone cold and still managed to function properly.." DeSoto laughed, sitting at the table sipping on coffee.

The rest of the gang, now filled in on the surgery Kel was heading into, chuckled good naturedly.

Chet Kelly pointed to the cast on Roy's left hand. "So how's the old wrist? I still get shivers remembering how it sounded when you popped that bone catching yourself on that rappelling rope when the gear gave way."

"This?" Roy said waving his arm around. "The ortho says it's just a stress fracture, a crack in one tiny bone. I still have use of the hand and all. This splint's just a reminder to keep it still to keep all the swelling down. I'll be back on the job on light non fire duty after the weekend."

Dwyer spoke up. "And that'll be just in time, too. You know,  
Roy? Gage is driving me nuts. Talks about you constantly."

"I do not. Did I even mention Roy once while we were getting Doc Brackett out of his car? Huh?"

Dwyer ducked his head. "Well, no. But that's because you were so busy, you didn't have time to."

Roy smiled. "Wow..Gee, Johnny. I ...didn't know you cared so much." he teased mildly. "Usually you complain about all my bad habits when I'm around."

"The grass is always greener...." Chet quipped.

"Oh, knock it off." Johnny said. "I'm just used to working with him and miss it a little bit, that's all." he said to them all,  
flinging a careless hand at Roy.

"More than a little bit.." Dwyer said. "Anyhow, just two more days and I can get back to B shift."

Hank Stanley got up and refilled everyone's coffee mugs. "So,  
Dr. Brackett's gonna be fine? Really?"

"Really.." said Gage. "He's probably just got two bandaids, one on each side where the tree branch was sticking out and another one where the cardiac needle went in draining out his pericardium."

"It's a little more involved than that, Johnny boy." Dwyer prompted.

Gage relented. "Well,...Maybe a few stitches in front under his collar bone and a support wrap for his ribs. He'll have a needle cath for his I.V. and blood supply, another very small tube for the shunt draining and treating the sac around his heart ...and a foley in.."

The guys crinched.

"But that's only until he wakes up from his anesthesia." Johnny added hastily. "He'll probably be back to work in a week just like Roy, on light duty, consulting on cases from his wheelchair."

"That's a relief. He looked pretty bad when we were there." Hank replied, snatching one of Stoker's chip cookies from the platter in front of him.

"That was just the heart infection working on him, making him a little too tired to breathe." Dwyer told him. "And he got a little cold waiting for us to spring him free to get him onto that backboard.  
That's why he looked gray."

"I thought he was a goner man, the way Johnny kept hollering."  
Chet said. "You think he thought the doc was dying."

"There was every chance he was....until a certain point." Gage admitted. "I didn't know what was going to happen until Dwyer told me all the blood pressures in his arms and legs were reasonably fine and equal."

"Well, what did that mean?" Stoker asked.

"It meant that he wasn't heart stabbed. Sometimes the aorta above gets nicked and people bleed out into the pericardium and are dead in very short order. They just up and quit with little warning and no amount of defibrillating and CPR gets em back. You had two cases like that last year, remember Dwyer?"

"I remember, I thought I was cursed."

"Yeah, I remember you telling me about them. That's the first thing I thought when I got to Brackett's side and saw that tree branch sticking out of his chest." Johnny said. "I couldn't trust my instincts about him at all, thinking about it. That's why I was yelling so much at Kel, Chet, trying to keep him awake. I was getting myself convinced that he really wasn't gonna crash on us because of a cardiac bleed out."

"Well, I'm sure when he wakes up in his room, that he'll remember you cared to a great degree." Hank said to Gage.

"Yeah, that's probably after he nitpicks the kind of care Dwyer and I gave him earlier."

Roy spoke up. "He'll do nothing of the sort. Johnny, Dr. Brackett's not the complete ogre everyone thinks he is. He's good at what he does and he tries to draw that out in others, but he's no Craig Brice to tell a guy about how to do it. Not when it boils right down to the fact that he found himself on the receiving end of it from Joe Early."

"Hey,,... I never thought of that.." Gage said, snapping his fingers.  
"That's right. Didn't Kel think he was coming down with meningitis or something like that on the way in? He sure mumbled something to that effect.." he said, looking to Dwyer.

"He did. I passed it off as a shock effect."

"Well, then we can go visit him with a clear conscience without fear."  
Johnny said, stretching back into his chair with a sigh. "I'm feeling better about the whole thing already."

Mike Stoker spoke up. "Hey, guys. We all got the weekend off. I got a great deal on a bunch of steaks before shift last night .  
Why don't we all get together at my place to celebrate Brackett's recovery with a genuine backyard barbeque. Maybe we can get in a few rounds with a set of clubs, too. I live on a golf course."

Chet brightened. "Oh, yeah! Didn't you tell us that you built an incredible outdoor stone fire place along with the outdoor kitchen patio last week?"

"I did. Only everyone was so engrossed in the Marco versus Johnny chess game, that I thought no one even heard me say it."

"I did, Stoker. Didn't you see me nodding?" Chet insisted.

"No, I was watching Marco here swooping down to murder Gage's black queen."

Johnny squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. "And she died a noble death, too. I tried to take out Marco's attacking bishop before he moved onto a pawn to checkmate my king. I don't like to lose my patients or my chess games."

"No one does." Roy remarked. "Say, Stoker. Count me in.  
A steak dinner sounds absolutely fabulous. Can I bring the kids?"

"Uhhh.." Stoker stammered. "Well..."

"No problem. The newly post pregnant neighbors still owe me a favor. I'm sure they can keep an ear out in our yard for the kids in between their newborn's diaper changes." DeSoto said. "But I get out of doing dishes. Walking wounded, remember?"  
he said, holding up his wrist.

"But I thought you said that you have full use of that hand."

"The cast still isn't waterproof, Johnny. I wouldn't want Brackett to get mad at me for wrecking all his nice handywork. You know how he reacts to people ruining their broken bone casts. He practically chewed up the last guy who went surfing with one."  
said DeSoto. "If we're gonna visit Kel, I want my cast still smelling like new plaster, if it's all right with the rest of you guys."

"Fine by me." piped Stoker. "Dishes are my game. Cooking, too, for that matter. "

Chet spoke up from the depths of the frig where he was hunting down some milk for his pile of cookies. "Stoker, I'm not coming if you aren't grilling chicken."

"I'll get some just for you, Chet." Stoker promised. "Just show up without your rubber ones."

"Deal. The Phantom needs to take a break for a while. I need a night out to relax some."

"Then it's a plan. Sunday afternoon..." Cap said rubbing pleased hands together.

Stoker jumped in happily. "My place. Bring your own beverage... I hear the weather's gonna be fine.. And the golf fees after dinner, are on me.."

-  
Photo: Chet and Stoker eating at a table.

Photo: Cap and Roy talking at the table.

Photo: Dwyer with a book on the couch.

Photo: Stoker close at the table, couch behind.

Photo: A golf house view patio.

Photo: A backyard stone fireplace and stove.

Photo: A golf house deck.

Photo: Johnny grinning like a cat.

Photo: Brackett putting on a wrist wrap cast in close.

*************************************************** From : Roxy Dee Sent : Wednesday, August 24, 2005 2:47 PM Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Out of the Blue~~

Soon, it was Sunday, under a glorious, cloudless blue sky around two p.m. in the afternoon, at Engineer Stoker's house.

"Man, that was fantastic, Stoker.." belched Cap from the wooden bench as he lazily stared into the stone fireplace on Mike Stoker's earthen patio. "Can I hire you on as my personal house chef?"

"Sorry, not enough pay.." Mike replied.

"But you're not making any kind of pay now, Mike,  
as an engineer. Maybe becoming Cap's kitchenhand and butler has its merits there, pal." Chet chuckled.

"No thanks. I prefer a firehouse setting or a natural one for cooking. That's why I moved out here to Torrence.  
So do you like the new place?"

"How can you keep up with the payments, Stoker? Man,  
this house is simply..incredible! And you've got a den, too."  
Gage sighed in amazement.

"I don't live alone. A pair of stewardesses help me with the mortgage payments. They fly PSA on weekends and are home when I work during the week at the station."

Chet nearly choked on his beer. "St-stewarDESSES? As in female? Wow, didn't know you had it in you, Stoker. Living in sin...." he egged.

"We're just roommates, Chet. Just like Three's Company the show? With the cost of living nowdays, getting a pair of roomies seemed like the smartest thing to do. I even had enough saved up to design and build this stove and fireplace for the backyard."

"I like it." said Marco.

Cap jerked his head back at Johnny and Chet still mulling over Stoker's living arrangements with two members of the opposite sex. "Say, you two. Why don't you copycat like him for a while.  
L*rd knows I can use some peace at the station from you two yammering all the time about how poor you are."

Gage froze, considering his libido. "Uhh, I don't think that would work out too well for me."

Roy sniggered. "Why, don't you trust yourself to behave like a gentleman, Johnny?"

"Well,..no, it's not that I don't trust myself, it's just the fact that my place is so small.. Th- there'd be no room for two more people moving in." Gage said.

"Uh huh, a likely story.." said Stoker. "We all know how you are,  
Mr. Nurse Stalker. Maybe it's a good thing that you lock yourself away from society in that apartment of yours all alone."

"Very funny. Why don't you go....play golf or something and make yourself useful."

Grinning slyly, Mike did. "I'm up for a few rounds of golf. Cap? You coming?"

"Sure. Let me get my jacket. How about the rest of you guys?"

"Too full." sighed Marco.

"My wrist's itching. I'd get distracted and probably hit one through one of Stoker's expensive bay windows." said Roy.

"I think I'm too drunk to play. I'd probably do the same thing as DeSoto. " said Chet.

"Don't look at me. I play chess, not golf. In fact, I don't think I've ever played a game of real golf my whole life." said Gage.

"Suit yourselves. We'll be back in half an hour." said Stoker.  
"Come on, Cap. We'll catch up with these guys later. We'll leave the second golf cart here in case any of these turkeys changes their mind and decides to join us."

Hank grinned and soon, they were gone, zipping away in the first golf cart, for hole number one.

A few minutes later, Gage fell back from the stone balcony railing and into a contented sigh. "Boy, this is a slice of heaven. I hope Stoker knows how good he has it."

"He does. He put in all of this stonework, remember?" Roy said, snoozing in a plastic and metal slat chaise lounge. He set his bound wrist up over the back of his head to ease the itching.

"I remember, I remember." said Gage irritably. "I'll ..go do the dishes or something. Chet, burn off some of that alcohol and get up and help me or you won't be fit to drive home later tonight."

A snore peeled from Kelly as he lay on the wooden bench in front of the cozy outdoor fireplace.

Johnny kicked his foot with his sneaker. "Come on, up! Show some hospitality and help me dry all the dishes.." Gage told him as he filled the chrome steel outdoor kitchen sink next to the mesquite coal glowing grill, with soapy water. "We can probably clean up and have dessert laid out by the time they get back."

Kelly snorted and finally sat up and reached for a towel.  
"Do I have to? I'll get all hot and s-sweaty working like that, man. I wanna snooze. "

"Yeah, it is kinda humid, isn't it? That's odd." said Gage,  
peering up into the pure blue sky.

"Don't worry about it, Johnny. I'll help ya." said Marco,  
moving to tie on the apron that Stoker had left hanging on a hook off the stone chimney.

Lopez had just moved away from the side of the patio where Chet and Roy were snoozing, when a bolt of energy from the sky cracked down and blew apart the pine tree framed by the deck. Johnny was thrown backwards ten feet by the concussion and his ears began ringing even as his nerves vibrated with a furious buzz of electricity.  
::Lightning!:: he thought frantically as he rolled over.

He lifted his head dizzily. "Marco?!"

"I'm right here next to you!" Lopez shouted over the ringing his own ears were suffering.

"You okay?"

"Yeah! What was that?! A power surge from the circuit breaker?"

"No, It must have some lightning. Just look at that tree!" Gage coughed. He dragged himself off his stomach. "Did any of it touch you?"

Marco rubbed bark out of his eyes and he, too, coughed on ozone. "No. I think I'm ok...How are the others?"

"The others?!" Johnny shook cobwebs out of his head.

Marco crawled over to Chet where he lay and touched his shoulder. Kelly immediately began screaming. "I can't see!  
Oww!! Ohmyg*d. Am I talking? I can't hear.. Ohh hoo...GGHH!  
I can't feel anything!!"

Marco grabbed Chet's shoulders. "Go check out Roy, Johnny. I got him." Shaking his head, Lopez looked up onto the golf course to see a bunch of heads turning in their direction. He looked up higher and saw that Mike Stoker's chimney as well as his Ponderosa pine tree, were smoking. And he noticed that there wasn't a single solitary cloud in the sky. Not even a white one. ::How can that be:  
he wondered. Then Chet's panicking drew his attention downward.  
"Easy, Chet. I'm here.. Lie still. I got you. You're ok.."

Chet erupted into a new horror. "I can't move my legs, Marco. I'm deaf!..*gasp* ..Blind! I can't move my--" his body seized into a spasm and he grabbed Marco by the arms, yelling in pain.

Johnny ignored them both. He staggered to where he could see Roy's feet lying toes down underneath the lounge chair. The cast on his wrist was completely blown away. Fine bits of dust and debris from it had settled onto his clothing. And his jeans were shredded down one pants leg. DeSoto wasn't moving.

"Roy?!"  
Gage got to his side and rolled him over, feeling for a carotid and he quickly began using some fingers to feel at his nose and mouth since he still couldn't hear well. "Can you hear me?"

Marco waved at Johnny to get his attention while he held Chet down with a second hand on his chest. "How is he?"

"Just a sec! " John gasped, trying to get the stink of heavy ozone out of his chest enough to talk louder. "He's got a pulse......but he's not breathing. Not at all... Must have been some step voltage shooting down the tree into his chair.  
It's knocked out his respiratory muscles.."

He bent down, tilted back Roy's singed head, and gave him a couple of firm breaths until he got his chest to rise. He kept at it while his ring finger kept tabs on Roy's heart rate while he worked to support his partner until his nerves could recover the ability to breathe again.

"Chet's paralyzed, Johnny! What do I do?"

"Stay with him. Make sure he keeps breathing. It's probably..........keraunoparalysis working on him big time. He'll be ........all right. It's all temporary. Keep him from hurting himself!" Johnny said, still keeping up his mouth to mouth.  
"When he calms down, go inside and call for help. I'm fine here......... Roy, come on now. Start breathing! Tell me you can smell my morning mouth! ..........Start waking up for me, pal. The main part of that bolt missed ya completely!" he told him. "..so.........I know you aren't hurt that bad. Come on. Pick it up again.."

Roy stayed still and Johnny was forced to stay on his head,  
and stay being his lungs. ::At least you didn't sick up when you fell off the chair.::

He could hear Marco talking to Chet and holding him down onto the stones until Kelly could get a grip on himself. Finally, he heard Chet ask a question. "Marco? Are Johnny and Roy ok?"

Lopez took that as his cue and took off running for the house.  
And the phone.

Then, just as fast, he was back. He said. "I'm looking for Cap and the others. I think I see them on the second hole. L.A. says Station 127's on the way!"

"Good going! Yes! Go get them!" Gage shouted, pushing the seared chair out of the way of Roy's legs.

In between delivering breaths, Johnny felt down DeSoto's limbs for fractures or other problems. He knew that tetany of the strength that convulsed his partner would have done some kind of harm if the current had been strong enough to cause it.

He found only spidering burns on both of Roy's ankles.

He got up and dragged Chet closer to him so Kelly would know that he hadn't been abandoned. Then he concentrated on outwaiting Roy's breathing paralysis by offering breaths every few seconds. He knew they would return by themselves soon. ::That's how it works. If I prevent secondary hypoxia, we got it made. He won't lose a pulse a second time..:: he thought eagerly. ::There's no way that bolt didn't zap his heart still the first time. It must have started up again when he hit the ground so hard.::

===================================================================================finaleditmark

Two minutes dragged like years, but then Gage spotted Marco's cart coming fast with Stoker's immediately behind him. "Get my kit from the land rover! I got airways in it!" he shouted to them.

The dots they were, quickly grew larger, until suddenly,  
they were all there.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Photo: Lightning striking a tree in daylight.

Photo: A stunned Chet on the ground in closeup.

Photo: A golfer down on the grass.

Photo: Johnny supporting a hurt Roy's head.

Photo: Dendritic burns down a leg and ankle.

Photo: Gage giving mouth to mouth to a man.

*  
From: "Mark" Date: Wed Aug 24, 2005 3:17 pm Subject: Kel to the rescue

A young paramedic was brought into the room Kel was occupying while he recovered from his illness and injuries. ::Not again.:: he thought. ::Last time I was in here, it was young Romeo,  
a.k.a. Johnny Gage, whom I had to room with.::

Kel recognized him from the last training class. The harried nurse,  
realizing Kel knew the man, told him, "He will be fine. He has a slight concussion and is dehydrated. I think he will probably sleep for awhile." She hurried out of the room before Kel could ask her any further details.

"Dixie would have stayed and talked with me at least for a bit." Kel mumbled to himself.

It had been a long quiet Sunday. Drained from the last few days of recovering from his illness and the surgery, Kel had been sleeping most of the day. Now, however, he was awake and feeling quite bored. The nurses that had been in had done the minimum they had to do with few words. With the flu going around they were covering many extra patients. "Not to mention they really don't know how to react to having me as a patient." Kel groused. "You would think I'm Simon Legree or something." He decided then and there that he was not going to make "rooming in" a habit.

After reading from a medical journal for awhile, Kel drifted off to sleep. He was still quite exhausted from his long ordeal.

Kel wasn't sure what woke him. He looked over and realized the young paramedic was dreaming. "No, not dreaming, he's having a nightmare." he said out loud to himself. He watched as the young man started to jerk. Kel heard him call out something about being trapped in a fire. Worried, Kel pressed his call button to summon help.

Kel called out to him, "It's ok, you're safe now. There isn't a fire here."

Unfortunately the young man was still caught in the dream and jerked him arm, breaking off the catheter from his IV.

"Nurse! I need help in here right now!" Kel yelled loudly. Unable to reach the intercom that would enable him to call for help, Kel wondered what he could do. ::Maybe I should just go ahead and attempt to get to him anyway. No, I'd probably fall before I got to the other side of his bed. I know!:: Kel picked up the phone and dialed the number he knew so well, the ER phone number.

"I need help in here!" Kel called out again as he waited for the phone to ring.

"Rampart Emergency." answered Joe Early. Kel knew the few nurses on duty were nowhere near the base station phone.

"Joe, this is Kel. The paramedic they put in my room yanked out his IV and broke the cath off in his arm. No one is coming to my call light and nobody's hearing me!"

"I'm on my way, Kel!" Joe responded quickly before hanging up.

"Johnson! Eric! Wake up!!" Kel ordered.

"Huh?" murmured the paramedic, still sleepy and somewhat lost from waking suddenly.

"Johnson! This is Dr. Brackett. Put your arm down at your side.  
You've broken the cath off in your arm. My legs are broken so I can't get over to you to help you."

Eric looked over at Kel. "What did you say?" he asked.

"Put your arm down towards the floor NOW Eric! Raise the head of your bed, too, if you can.

Eric, used to following orders, did as he was told.

"Don't worry, I've called for help." Kel assured him. No sooner had he finished speaking, when Joe burst through the door. Kel,  
relieved, relaxed back into the bed. "I managed to get him to wake up and put his arm down and raise the head, Joe." he stated.

Joe quickly fastened a tourniquet on. "Ok Eric, we're going to take you out for an x-ray and see where that catheter is at." He examined the remaining portion hanging from the IV pole. "It looks like you broke a fair sized piece off. There is a chance it has snagged on some vein valves."

An orderly with a gurney came in the door just then. Together, Joe and the orderly got Eric transferred to the gurney, and then the orderly took him out to have the x-rays done.

"Good job, Kel." Joe commented. "I'm glad you got him awake enough to respond to you. I'm also very glad you didn't try to get out of bed to take care of him. That sure wouldn't have been good for those legs."

"I admit the thought crossed my mind when I couldn't get help here."  
Kel confessed. ::I'm not going to admit that the only reason I didn't was I thought I wouldn't make it.:: he thought. "Luckily my next thought was to call ER on the phone. I'm just glad I got you."

"Well, I'd better go see about that venous cutdown. We'll undoubtedly be bringing Eric back later." Joe promised. "Now try to get some rest. You still have a long recovery ahead of you." Joe hurried out the door to catch up with his new patient.

Just then Dixie entered the room. "I finally have a day off, Kel. I thought maybe you could use a little company."

"Hey, Dix!" Kel greeted her with enthusiasm. Kel stopped and studied her. "You look..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photos: None.

From : Cassidy Meyers Sent : Thursday, August 25, 2005 3:30 AM Subject : The Best of Friends...

"....like a sight for these sore eyes. Glad you came so soon."

"Oh? Bored already?" Dixie asked, surprised. "Or is there something wrong with your pericath?" she said fussing with the patient gown draped across his chest.

"Nothing's wrong with it. I'm fine. Your first guess was right on the money so stop acting like a fussing nurse."

"Sorry, it's second nature. So, what's on the agenda for tonight? I brought over some more journals for you to read.."

Brackett made a face. "I just had a live case history in here a few minutes ago..."

"What?"

"Never mind. It's over. Shall we play a game? Sharon brought me over some from pediatrics. They're in the closet."

A look of mischief came over Dixie's face. "We haven't played a game since Monopoly over caviar."

"Last year, I know. I'd like to start up again. That's if, you don't mind." he said self consciously.

"I don't mind.." Dixie smiled. "Not at all, Kel. I was waiting for you to say that again to me some day."

And gracefully, she settled down onto the bed to take hold of his hand.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roy coughed as a firefighter gave him a sixth breath on the demand valve. "*cough* Wh--? What happ...ened?  
*cough* Sorry-- Was I caught ...napping again?"

Gage grinned from every dirty pore. "You weren't napping, Roy, you were fricaseed.... By lightning. Now hold still for the nice paramedic and don't move until we've checked you out." Johnny sighed. "Marve, his C collar's secured. Do you want to call Rampart? Or shall I?"

Marve cracked a smile. "Who's on duty, Mr. Gage?"

"You are." Johnny answered truthfully with a matching grin.

"Then you have your answer. Hand it here." said the big burly medic from 127's, holding out his hand for the biophone receiver. "I'll letcha cut your partner's clothes off." he teased, handing Johnny the clothes shears, from his belt holster.

Gage just made a face and didn't take them. "He doesn't need a strip down and you know it. Just patch him in. I'll be back soon. I gotta tell your captain where the bolt struck so the truck crew can check out the area and Stoker's roof, for lingering sparks."

Roy frowned at his surroundings, but he seemed to have all five senses, unlike Chet. "Wh-where am I?"

Gage's expression fell into worry and analysis. "Anterograde amnesia?"

"No, Johnny, you're done. I'll fill him in." said Marve. "Why don't you go help my partner get Kelly squared away. Roy's vitals are stable now that he's breathing and I actually believe ya that he never lost his color. Justlookatthosereactivepupils." he gushed, checking out Roy's eyes with his penlight with a flourish.

Johnny's frown started to falter into a wisp of a smile. But then DeSoto winced at the beam and made out a few facts.  
"Ok, I'm hurt. How hurt am I?"

Johnny started to open his mouth.

"Ah, ah ah...Johnny boy. Leave him to me." Marve said.  
"Just go." he grinned.

Johnny stood, wiping cast soot off of his hands. He held up a mock threatening finger. "If he throws off so much as a single PVC..."  
he warned.

Marve threw up innocent hands. "I hear ya. I'll tell ya. Now shoo.."

Gage walked over to the second ambulance trying to hide how sore his muscles were with all the dignity he could muster.

Marco Lopez was still with Chet and holding his hand tightly.

Lopez glanced up when he heard Johnny coming. "He still can't see or hear. He's pretty frightened. He only seems to calm down if someone's touching him."  
he said, adjusting the flowing oxygen mask over Chet's face.

"I'll get a sedative order.." said Bill, Marve's paramedic partner.  
"But I don't know how I'm gonna get it into him because I don't know how to tell him that he's gonna have an I.V. started. Not with him being out of the loop like this and all." he teased Gage.

"I know how.. Just gimme that, you....crazy character. I appreciate you and Marve trying to make me feel better about them. I can solve this problem. It's easy, man. Just act like normal. Watch.." Gage said, taking a latex band from out of Bill's shirt pocket.

He made an obvious show tying it off around Chet's bare upper arm and miraculously, Kelly froze still, recognizing the pressure band being put around his arm. He started fussing when Johnny began smacking the bend in his elbow to raise a sluggish vein. "Oh, no.. not an I.V." he whined.  
"If the doc says I gotta have a med, do it IM. I know my rights.  
Last thing I want is having my muscle cramps breaking off an I.V. catheter in my arm.." he quipped even as another full body spasm twisted him up onto his side on the gurney. "I may be a male Helen Keller right now but I'll be d*mned if I'm gonna be mute about it." he added.  
"Johnny, shame on you. You know how much I hate I.V.s. You should've told them I won't accept one unless my life's in danger."

Bill, the paramedic, just rolled his eyes. "Heaven help the nurse who's gonna get stuck taking care of him."

Gage flashed 127's senior an annoyed look. "I'll give him the shot if you get me an order for it. Chet doesn't mind me giving them to him. Just tell me what for.. and the dosage."

"You might wanna DOUBLE it.." Bill winked as he moved to his partner's side to take his turn on the biophone.

Despite himself, Johnny burst out laughing, but then he staggered,  
falling against the fireman monitoring Kelly.

Bill grabbed Gage's arm. "Whoa..whoa. Hang on just a minute there. I thought you said that the lightning never touched either of you guys."

Marco suddenly sat down, too. "It didn't." he said. "Oh, I'm dizzy.."

Captain Stanley hurried up with a resuscitator tank already fitted with two demand valves. "You twits, I told you not to cover your symptoms from them." Then Hank eyeballed Bill. "Both took in pretty good lungfuls of ozone at fairly high concentrations for a few seconds."

"Huh.." Bill mulled that over. "Gonna be some touchy arrythmias in their future. For Roy and Chet, too."  
"Don't I know it." Cap grumbled. "Gage! Lopez! Get ventilating and then get yourselves checked out! Looks like you both earned yourselves a free ekg reading and a night's stay at Rampart. So lie down and shut up."

"I think I will." said Johnny, turning green. He never felt a second firefighter help him down to the ground or felt the mask that Cap set quickly over his face.

Dimly, he was aware that Marco, Roy and Chet had fallen into the same state and were being cared for.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours later, fate had dealt a funny hand out at Rampart.

Eric Johnson hadn't come back. He had to go to the intensive care unit when another surprise piece of the catheter fragment suddenly showed up in one of his lungs.

That had left five beds free in Dr. Brackett's six bed room.

Brackett was still grumbling over his and Joe's bad luck concerning Eric the rookie paramedic, when all four firemen from 51's were wheeled into the recovering doctor's room. "You've got to be kidding me. Dix, did you arrange this?" he snapped.

"Me? Kel, we've been up here playing Yatzee together all afternoon. So how could I have arranged for-- Fellas, ohmygosh. What happened to the four of you?" she said oggling the four EKG monitors attached to Chet, Johnny, Roy and Marco's upper torsos.

"Four birds with one stone..." Hank explained, holding the door open for Mike Stoker. "Or should I say, bolt of lightning."

"Oh my.." Dixie gasped. "I didn't know it had even rained."

"It didn't. It was a freak bolt. Caused by some daylight ground fog and built up tetonic static." Hank replied.

"You should have seen them, Dixie." Mike said of his coworkers.  
"After they got done rescuing each other, the ozone poisoning set in. They each puked for half an hour. Straight." Stoker smiled.

"Ah, so that's why they all got I.V.s. How are they doing?"

Hank filled her in eagerly. "Roy got lung trigger knocked for a while.  
No damage past some sizzled skin since Gage was on hand to take over.  
Chet here's temporarily blind and deaf. He's only a noodle from the waist down...."

"That'll pass, too.." Brackett said through his annoyed cross armed stance before he could stop it.

"Yeah?" murmured Dixie, sitting by Chet's bed to take his hand in hers. "Poor guy. He looks so lost and helpless."

Chet Kelly immediately smiled when he recognized her perfume. "Hi,  
Dixie. Wish I could ask you how you're doing, but I can't hear any answer you might give me yet. Sorry.."

She kissed Chet's cheek slowly and made him blush into muteness after giving him a shiver. "Ok, so what's the story about the second half of the room?" she said, rising to go check on Roy's oxygen supply while he slept fitfully under a CPAP.

"Gage and Lopez had just that bad gas exposure and both are waiting for their cardiac rhythms to settle back to normal." Stoker told her.

Dixie adjusted Roy's I.V. so it was no longer kinked against the bed rail.  
"Ah, I see.. so that means that we all get to throw a sleepover party tonight in Kel's room, is that it?"

"No, Dix.." sputtered Dr. Brackett.

Dixie ignored him. "Yes. Why don't we have some fun for once. I can take the empty bed here and Cap, I know there's a couple of spare cots in the closet , for you and Stoker, so, any decision making's now final." she purred. "Kel, they're staying." she said iron voiced. "I'm sure you'll agree with me real soon. After all, these men did save your life."

Dr. Brackett finally ground his teeth together and uttered........

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photo: A firefighter being given oxygen by an ambulance attendant.  
(Real life NY fireman looking a lot like Randy Mantooth.)

*  
From : wone3 Sent : Wednesday, August 24, 2005 10:12 PM Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] The start of reckoning

"A sleepover, Dix? At least, you could have called it something else. It sounds too little girlish to me."

The entire group chuckled. Probably most of them were surprised that the Doc even knew about such things considering he was the confirmed bachelor.

Dixie then kicked Cap and Mike out along with herself, telling the guys she'd see them in the morning with hopefully their release papers. "All except you Kel, you have a few more days here," She grinned.

Kel just gave her a look thinking, ::Last time it was bad enough getting stuck with young Romeo, but why do I have to get stuck with the whole bunch? I just hope we have a quiet night. ::

Kel was lucky, the whole incident took enough out of the guys that they went to sleep all night and were all discharged the next morning with the stipulation that Roy and Chet were going to miss at least the next shift.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was around 6pm that evening when Dixie wearily walked into Kel's room. Joe had been up to check on Kel several times and let him know that he had planned on letting him out of the hospital with a few restrictions tomorrow. Kel had also noticed the other night that Dixie looked a little tired but she had put on a good show for the guys when they came in. This time she couldn't hide it. She had the classic symptoms of being tired and run down; especially glassy eyes with dark circles that make-up couldn't hide.

"You look like something the cat dragged in. What's going on?" Kel asked in a concerned tone as he took in Dixie's appearance.

"After the past several days that I have had, you'd look like this too, Kel. Pulling a couple double shifts, worrying about friends who have been in accidents over several days, and being called back in after pulling the first double shift; has not made the past few days fun, Kel." Dixie answered trying not to raise her no-nonsense temper.

Dixie curbed herself. Kel didn't entirely need the lecture and it would just show him how vulnerable she felt that night when she and Joe initially received the call. They were in the middle of one of those "off stages" in their "on again- off again" relationship and she didn't want his pity as a motive to start the relationship back up.

Kel had been waiting for this ever since the day after the accident; he knew Dixie wouldn't go into it right after surgery. He just hadn't figured on dealing with her after a couple of double shifts, the guys from 51 being in the night before as patients, and a call back in shift. "I'm sorry," he started to apologize.

Dixie interrupted, "Look, Kel, I know that you are sorry for putting both Joe and I through h*ll especially initially, but you need to face facts, even if it deflates your ego. You aren't Superman or God and when you are sick, as much as I suspect you thought you were when the accident occurred, you need to stay home and be sick. This place will survive if you have to take a few days off, Kel, trust me." Dixie's voice eased off to her gentle caring one that she seemed to only display for him.

"I know I deserved that, Dix. You are right in saying that I'm not Superman. I think I just need the reminder once in a while." Kel answered. It brought a smile to both of them.  
"Look, let me make it up to you. Let me buy you dinner at Manny's soon and we can talk more. It will be nothing more than a friendly dinner." Kel said, knowing how Dixie would hate to restart their relationship over something like this. ::It's strange how we really do know each other way too well:: "What caused you to be called in after a double shift anyway, Dix? That almost never happens."

"Same reason for the first unscheduled double shift in the first place. I am down nurses to this darn flu. Started with four being out when you were brought in. It's now up to twelve. The call in was for a nasty pileup on the 405. Something like, at least, forty cars involved. We had to bring everybody back with the shortage of personnel, both doctors and nurses." Dix answered with a sigh.

"How much longer are you on shift, Dix?" Kel asked.

"I just got off, and wanted to check on you before I left. I also wanted to let you know that Joe told me that he's letting you out of here tomorrow. I can give you a ride home and I can stick around for a bit. I also accept your dinner invitation." Dixie answered with a yawn.

"Dix, are you ok enough to drive home? I don't want hear that one of our guys had to bring you in after wrapping your car around something." Kel said.

Dixie smiled, "I'm fine Kel, but I am going to go straight home. Good night, Kel."

Kel answered with a smile, "Night, Dix. Drive carefully."

Dixie then walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She headed straight downstairs to her car and drove home, all the time thinking how lucky they were, that Kel was still around to talk to.

A few short minutes later she pulled into a parking spot, parked her car, locking it as she exited, entered her apartment and headed straight to bed for a good night's sleep.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photos: None.

*  
From: "killashandrarey01" Date: Thu Aug 25, 2005 1:00 pm Subject: Fish Eggs and Morning Mouth...

It was Tuesday morning, two days after the lightning strike and the morning after Dixie had had a good night's sleep.

Hank Stanley buttoned up his work shirt swiftly. "Come on,  
come on... If we're gonna get this done before lunch time or another call, we gotta leave now."

Marco sniggered. "Cap, are you sure we aren't breaking any rules by showing up at Rampart with the vehicles on a non emergency call?"

Hank stared at Lopez as if he had grown a third eyeball.  
"How many years have I been a captain, Marco?" was all he said.

"Uhhh...."

Gage, next to him, whistled low under his breath.  
"Too many..." so Stanley wouldn't hear him.

Cap, covering for any rank differential fallout, offered his excuse belatedly to stave off any further criticism.. "Headquarters knows the two of you have to get your final checkout at Rampart...."

"Hi, guys..."  
"Mornin, all..." said two voices from Roy and Chet as they came walking in through the side door from the backyard parking lot.

"....Correction, the four of you." Hank amended.

DeSoto fielded enthusiastic greetings from the others as he quickly caught up changing into his uniform. Chet was a few seconds faster. "The four of us, what?"

Marco told him. "As soon as we're set, we're stationing at Rampart so the four of us can get our final medical clearances from Joe Early to work today.."

"No, kidding? Is there a parking space big enough to hold the Ward?" Kelly asked like a kid catching another doing something naughty.

"Yes, there is.." answered Stoker with a "duh" tone in his voice.

"Of course." breathed Chet. "Our engineer would know."

"What a memory, Stoker.." admired Marco. "It's been, what?  
Five years since that fire at Rampart in the research buildings.  
Through all that chaos, in the middle of the night, you still scoped out the REGULAR parking places?"

"Yep. I gotta learn all the fast outs on any scene in case the chief ever orders a pull back." replied Mike. "Consider it an unwritten rule of the trade."

"That's why I keep him on.." winked Hank at the others. "He keeps expensive property whole without my telling him to."

Stoker smiled at the surprise compliment.

Roy spoke up, "Speaking of memory...." and he glared at Johnny to his right. "Your answer is yes. I did smell it."

"Smell what?" Johnny asked in confusion.

"Your morning mouth..." DeSoto snapped. "Next time,  
drink a little water beforehand before you help someone out."

Chet Kelly looked up in confusion. "Just what the heck did that mean? Hey,....Cap? I think DeSoto's still got a few brain cells addled."

"Yeah, well. It'll be up to Joe Early to determine that."  
Cap said, not getting it. "That's why we're leaving, remember?" he teased.

Gage just closed his mouth with a grin and didn't say anything. He ignored Roy's continued glare at his back while he dressed.

Marco got it, though. He whispered to Johnny.  
"I keep forgetting how good unconscious people can recall things during a rescue.."

"I was counting on it that day.." Gage admitted to him. "Roy wasn't listening to me then. At all. So I had to do something drastic to get his attention."

Roy just slammed his locker shut and went out on Cap's order to the squad.

"How's the wrist doing?" Gage hollered after him.

Roy didn't answer him, intentionally.

Lopez said, "And he's not listening to you now."

"What else is new?" Gage sighed.

"Let's go, Stoker!" hollered Cap in the bay.

That hustled the rest of the gang with their socks and shoes and belt instrument gear. They had to hurry to keep up.

Marco turned to Kelly. "Did you get it?"

"Of course, I got it. Is he still in the same room?"  
Chet asked.

"Yeah, Dixie called this morning and said so."

"So what did you get? Vanilla or chocolate?"

"Both, in a swirly. I couldn't decide.." said Chet.

"That'll be good enough. Chances are, Brackett will throw the cake in all our faces for even bringing it."

"Nah, he won't." said Chet. "People change when they come close to dying and survive it."

"It didn't change Roy." Marco sighed.

"Huh?"

"Never you mind. Put your seat belt on.." said Lopez as he buckled his.

Soon, the engine and the squad were rolling.

"L.A., this is Station 51." called Cap out on the mic.

##Station 51, this is L.A.##

"We'll be 10-8 to Rampart with both. Base location will be there for an hour. We are available."

##10-4, 51.## came Headquarter's reply.

Behind Cap's engine seat Chet muttered.  
"Well, that was easy."

"Course it was. L.A. knows how to roll with the punches."  
Hank sighed contently. "I knew that would work."

"Do they know we're having a going home party to go along with all the medical checks?"

"Nope." smirked Stoker. "Why should they? We're doing everything by the book and anything else is.... at the captain's decretion."

"D*mned right it is. Step on it. I'm getting hungry for cake. Dessert first, I always say."

Chet's mouth dropped open. "Cap! How'd you know I got a cake for Dr. Brackett?"

"I'm aware of anything new entering the station."

Kelly and Lopez gave Cap suspicious looks and they grew uncomfortable. "H-how does he know?"  
they whispered to each other.

Cap let them off the hook. "Guys, I only knew because I had to chase Henry away from the rear compartment before I climbed on board a minute ago. He only scrabbles at the engine doors when he's looking for food."

Stoker whirled around in the driver's seat."He was scratching my engine's paint job?!"

"No, no..no.." Hank grinned. "I stopped him before he got even two paws up on the panel. Aren't I nice?" bubbled Cap.

Stoker was barely appeased and he took the last corner leading to Rampart a little fast.

Chet complained. "Hey, Stoker. Slow down! You'll spoil the frosting!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The gang left their overcoats in the trucks to avoid worrying the public folk in the hospital and soon, the gang was knocking at the door of Dr. Brackett's patient room, with the cake.

"Ok, everybody, now pipe down. Is everybody here?"  
Kelly asked. He turned his head and saw Dr. Early, Carol, Sharon his whole crew and even the x-ray techs, all present and accounted for. "Ok, I'm opening the door..."

"Surprise!!" shouted everybody. "Happy going home day!"

Their mouths just about fell open when they swung into the room and found Dr. Brackett, fully in street clothes, reverse entwining his arms with Dixie's, while they both ate crackers smothered with caviar, over an open Monopoly board.

Brackett opened his mouth, raining fish eggs and cracker crumbs and he said.

Photos: None.

*  
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 09:57:19 -0700 (PDT) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: Reflections..

"Oh, that's just great, the gang's all here! ...Again!" he groused in his worst doctor mode. Kel's face turned multishades of angry that matched his blistering tone.

Everybody in the doorway, froze.

But then the most miraculous thing happened, Kel Brackett's face softened, and then he actually smiled.

Eyes darted everywhere, but no one moved for being still in the grip of the shocking sight, stunned.

Dixie finished popping the fish egg smeared wafer into her mouth, chewing. Then she wiped off the crumbs from Kel's brand new striped shirt, "I was wondering when you'd show up.  
Did you bring it?" she asked.

"Uh,....yes?" peeped Sharon, who had been in on the whole thing.

"Hiya, guys. I got the plates already set up on the next table. Come on in..." Dixie said brightly after that.

"Gotcha!" said Brackett, "I was only kidding. Dixie's been giving me lessons on how to pull a fast one. Ah, Joe. I see you brought your doctor's bag. Are you here to give me a clean ticket outta bed?"

Slowly, the gang realized that they had been had and filed into the room. Joe Early was quickest to assume normalcy.  
"That and four others. For the boys here, too." he said, throwing his head over his shoulders at Chet, Johnny, Roy and Marco.

Kel grinned as he helped Dixie clear the board game and the crumbs from the made up bedspread. "Chet, how are your eyes doing? Have they stopped giving you problems with long distance?" he asked.

Chet Kelly was bold and reached for some of Dixie's caviar.

She slapped his hand, "Do you know how much this stuff costs?"

"Yeah.." Kelly dip his finger into the roe anyway, to taste it. "Doc, the eye chart you gave me still wavers on me when I look up first thing in the morning, but only for a few seconds. Then it's all peachy for the rest of the day. But don't worry. I don't drive anything at work and I'm not going into any burning buildings for a while. Cap won't let me."

"That's for your own good." Dixie waggled a finger at Kelly.  
"Both Kel and Joe were in on that one."

"I kinda figured that." Kelly admitted.

Mike Stoker came forward with the cake. "Dr. Brackett, this is for you. Uh,..I'm afraid the baker didn't know what a K-12 was or even a jaws tool for that matter for the frosting picture, but we gotcha a toy stethoscope for a decoration.. Here.." he said handing the heavy cake over onto Kel's patient table.

"Oh, thanks guys. Although I think you've got things all backwards here. You saved my life, not the other way around." Dr. Brackett grinned.

"We were thinking about the others times, Dr. Brackett.." Roy said. "From other years..." he whispered.

Joe Early missed nothing. "Hey, where's MY cake then? I saved a fair bunch of you then, too." he chuckled.

"We'll share.." said Kel, being a mediator.

Soon, they were all eating.

Joe had set up a small exam tray on the other side of the room with a live EKG monitor decorated in balloons and ribbons that Sharon had wheeled in behind her. "Kel, you get the first clear all reading. Sit down.." he said, patting a chair next to the bed. "Chet, would you get Kel's BP? That way, I'll know you remember how to do one, and I'll be able to tell whether or not you got your whole hearing back or not, ok?"

"Hmmm, trusting a firefighter to examine me? I don't know..." Kel frowned.  
But then he laughed. "Give it a go, Kelly. This is your test." he said while he watched Sharon, Dixie and Joe patch him into the EKG. "Joe give Kelly your stethoscope."

"Ok.." laughed Dr. Early. "The pointy things go in your ears."

Chet smirked. "I think I got that part down ok, doc. Thanks."

Kel unbuttoned his shirt a little wider for the last EKG lead.

Everyone took in a gasp.

Gage squinted at Brackett's chest and said, "See guys? I told you, three bandaid holes and a row of stitches under the collar bone. Just like I said..." he exclaimed, pointing. Then he said, "Say, doc... They did a nice job on the sewing..."

Brackett chuckled. "I get only the best, I guess. Who's work is this, Joe?"  
he said, trying to peer at the stitches where the pericath used to be, still glistening under their steristrips.

"Ryder's. He insisted."

"I should have known." said Kel. "He's a lefty. All the suture knots are tied backwards. But they sure are even.. Maybe I should save some of this cake for Ryder,.. to thank him."

Joe studied Kel's EKG strip silently, not letting Kel see the monitor at all. "Nah, It might inflate his ego a little too much...."

"Well?" Kel asked of Chet Kelly and Joe Early after another minute had gone by.

"NSR, Kel. No abnormalities whatsoever." replied Early.  
"136/98..?" replied an only slightly fumbling Chet, pulling off Joe's expensive stethoscope.

"Congratulations, gentlemen. You both passed... Next...?" Joe said.

"I'll go.." said Roy, stripping off his button down and pulling up his T shirt.

All the nurses in the room cat called.

Roy just rolled his eyes. "Don't let my wife catch you doing that, or she'll probably have a complex." he teased. DeSoto sighed and good naturedly let them patch him into the datascope monitor. At the same time, Joe listened to Roy's lungs. "Take a breath. And.....another one...."

Kel leaned forward, reading Roy's screen. "Hmmm, I don't know, Joe."

"What..? What do you doctors see?" asked DeSoto, suddenly worried.

"He's got a pulse. Think that might be a problem?" Dr. Brackett quipped.

Dixie smacked him on the arm. "Oh, Kel...Roy, you're fine. The QRS intervals are normal.."

"Since when did you become the cardiograph expert?" Kel asked Dixie.

"Well," said Dixie. "..since I first started dating one, six years ago..."  
she whispered, and then she kissed him full on the lips, right in front of everybody.

The whole room burst out laughing, a few, with a crow of mock innuendo.

Kel was good enough to blush.

Marco and Chet and Gage were examined and given clear bills of health in short order. Then the whole room filled with the buzz of animated conversation as everyone broke off into splinter groups to finish their cake and ice water.

Joe was in a group with the five he had medically okayed and he found himself listening to Roy while the others looked on.

"Doc," said Roy. "What I can't understand, is why that lightning didn't kill me outright. I mean.." he crossed his arms shyly. "..I feel pretty normal inside,  
all things considering..."

Chet broke into the conversation. "What Roy means to ask you, doc, is why did Gage find him with smoking shoes and clothes but nothing at all coming from his hide...?"

DeSoto nodded. "Y- Yeah. Thanks, Chet. That's it. That's it exactly."

"Anytime, bro.." Kelly replied, wrinkling his nose with a grin.

Joe sniffed, popping into lecture mode, and he said. "I've found that lightning doesn't usually enter the body on strike victims, but flashes over the exterior instead. Sure, some charges may leak into the body via the eyes, ears or mouth, to cause senses loss, as in Chet's case, but most of the current from a lightning strike passes over the surface of the body in an external flashover. Burns are usually superficial, and usually caused by objects heating up close to the skin, ...belt buckles, bracelets, rings. It is not uncommon to not have severe burns, but on the other hand, clothing can be blasted from the body.  
Such as that cast you used to be wearing.."

"Oh,..uh, that.." said Roy subconsciously. He began to rub his wrist when he remembered that he no longer had it on.

Dr. Brackett crossed his arms, crossly. "So.., you wanted out of your cast bad enough that you just had to go invite a lightning strike to get it off?!" he mocked roared. Then he smiled. "Come on, let me see it."

Roy gave Kel his left arm. Dr. Brackett began to manipulate it gently in an exam. "Does this hurt?"

Roy was honest. "It's stiff, and the spongy bone itches something fierce, but no,  
it doesn't hurt."

"Can you bear weight on it ok?"

Chet Kelly spoke up again. "We ran a few CPR sets on a manikin at Roy's house.  
He did just fine, doc."

Roy just held up his hand at Chet to say "what he said."

Dr. Brackett nodded. "Mr. Kelly, could you let Roy answer this next question?  
It's kind of important."

"Sure, doc.." said Chet, not taking any offense at all.

"Ok..." said Dr. Brackett. And then he sat knee to knee with Roy. "Do you remember everything that happened to you on Sunday afternoon? Tell me as much as you remember. The paramedics who treated you said that you were demonstrating signs of anterograde amnesia. Joe and I just want to check to see if you still are. The effects of the lightning should've worn off by now if it was going to."

Roy took a breath and started speaking. "Well.... I remember eating a really nice steak. Stoker's recipes are the best.." he grinned nervously. "But then I think I decided to take a nap on a chair under the pine tree.. Then, I began to think that something was starting to get a little funny."

Hank spoke up, "Yeah and around that time, I got the impression that something wasn't right, too. I glanced back at the house and I saw Stoker's TV antennae throwing sparks! I thought, those dorks, they're overloading a fuse box..

I started running back for the golf cart. But before I could do that, about 1,000 feet away, I began to feel a strange, intense, pressurized sensation around my head. My hair stood on end, and I immediately crouched into a low ball with only the bottom of my feet touching ground. The barbed wire fence across the golf course sizzled with sparks; and I thought I was going to die any second. Then,  
I knew the energy build up for what it was.. Lightning.."

Roy nodded, "I didn't know it was building up so far away, Cap. I remember shouting. I was blasted off my feet in a roaring vortex of energy and sound. I felt my body hit the ground and as I did, a searing heat and burning began passing through my left side through my rib cage. I was surrounded by a force field blanketing me to the ground. Either the current was going through me or electricity from the ground was meeting the bolt in the tree. I couldn't tell for sure.

I thought to myself, I can't believe I just said this and it's happening! There was a humming I felt more than heard. My body vibrating, and the intensity of the searing heat was scaring me. All along I thought if it stopped in time, one of the guys could help me. And luckily the current began to lessen. My side felt scalded and puffy. I could see the sky and hear the wind, and it was over...

The next thing I knew is that it was dark, calm, and quiet and that I wasn't breathing. Like something had knocked the wind out of me ...but with no pain.. I started to think that it's time to breathe now, so I tried to concentrate on that, but I couldn't. After what seemed like ten or fifteen minutes, I got my first breath and the lights went back on in a bang, but I couldn't move or feel much of anything."  
Roy looked up. "Was I talking, Johnny?"

Gage met his eyes evenly. "After a while. After we put a lot of O2 into ya."

DeSoto's eyes clouded again. "I felt like I was in a dream..... that I wasn't able to wake up from. I did notice a strange, sweet burning smell..."

Johnny cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Not you.. that was something different. It was all the ozone, doc, at that point." Roy said. "Later at the hospital, I was able to see the spider web tracks across both my feet and lower legs, the only sign of what I had gone through." Roy blinked and returned back to the present. "Fortunately, they faded rather quickly." he said. "But I still feel like I've been kicked by a mule! " he chuckled.

"Be glad you aren't a horse, Roy." Hank commented.

"Why?" DeSoto asked.

"Because your legs aren't very far apart. Sitting on that chair like you were,  
protected you somewhat. A person who has one foot closer than the other to the strike point will have a potential difference between the feet so that a current may be induced to flow through the legs and body. This is a frequent killer of large livestock such as cattle and horses because the distance between their hind legs and forelegs,  
is so great." Stanley explained.

"Oh, so you mean, because I was crossing my legs, the lightning, sort of,  
skipped over me after brushing my feet?"

Joe agreed. "Something like that, yes."

Roy stretched in his chair. "Boy, I never knew that having bad posture would someday save my life... My mother used to tell me that crossing my legs was bad for circulation.."

"It is.. but only if you have circulation problems." admitted Joe. "Kel,  
he sure remembers a whole lot more of his near death experience than most patients I know. I'd say he's recovered enough to be able to work today.. What do you think?"

"I agree, Joe. Roy, how do you feel?" Kel asked seriously.

"Well, I still have problems sleeping. Seems like since the strike, I.  
can't seem to doze off for long periods before waking up again."

Marco spoke up. "That's been happening to all of us.." he said, pointing to Gage, Chet and himself. "We've talked about it."

"It has?" Cap asked.

Gage nodded.

Joe spoke up again. "Some people can be slightly injured by lightning and not have a scratch on them. It's like a computer damaged by a power surge.  
On the surface, the hardware appears fine, but when the machine is rebooted, the software malfunctions. And insomnia is the most commonly reported side effect following a lightning hit."

Johnny was shocked. "Then, does that mean Marco and I were hit, too?"

"More than likely. You probably just don't remember it." Kel answered.

Gage and the others fell silent.

"But,.. I wouldn't worry about it. That's probably a good thing. There's nothing critical that Joe and I noticed today that could possibly effect your day to day activities." Dr. Brackett said. "In fact, you guys appear normal in just about every aspect that matters."

"That's right." Joe said. "Lightning-strike survivors can suffer from over ninety symptoms. And some, don't start cropping up for weeks or even years. But, if you don't feel like you're suffering from any.."

"A symptom which doesn't feel like a symptom.." Kel recited.

"...IS no symptom. I know.." sighed Johnny.

Chet was fussing in his chair, quietly. "Does this mean that I'll need glasses at some point in my future?" he asked the doctors.

"Oh, Chet, everyone does at some time or another.." Gage said in exasperation. "It's no big deal.."

"If the early morning blurring starts to bother you, we can certainly prescribe a pair for you." Dr. Early offered.

"Just for reading, of course." Brackett tempered.

Roy was thoughtful. "Chet, I don't think you should snowball on things concerning this. Please. Let's all just give this some time, ok?  
I'm not glad you're hurt," he said softly to him, "but I'm glad that I'm not the only one. That way we can talk about it whenever we feel like it."

"That's the spirit." Dixie said. She had been listening to Roy's account, with tears in her eyes. "Come on, boys, we've got a party to enjoy."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photo: Lightning in a daylight sky.

Photo: Man in a lightning crouch.

Photo: A split tree, ground level.

Photo: Johnny and Brackett talking in hospital.

Photo: Roy, serious shot, at Rampart.

Photo: Caviar and crackers.

Photo: A Monopoly board in play.

*  
From: "Patti K"  
and.. From: "Mark"  
and.. From: "wone3" Date: Thu Aug 25, 2005 (afternoon hours- pm) Subject: The Defining Run...

Station 51 went roaring down the highway with sirens blaring and lights flashing to their next call, which was being broadcast even as they left Rampart General Hospital.

##Station 51, Station 8, Station 99, Station 36, Truck 127,  
Battalion 14, Dam burst, Castaic Lake at Hughes Lake Road.  
Multiple persons stranded, injuries reported. Ambulances are responding as well as police. Time out, 10:37.##

"Oh, man.... Roy, this sounds like a really bad one." Johnny moaned.

"I'm afraid so, Junior, I'm afraid so." responded Roy sadly. "It's times like this where I'm both very glad I'm in this line of work as well as wanting to hate it with all my being."

"I know what you mean, Pally. I know what you mean." agreed a solemn Johnny.

It wasn't long until they reached Hughes Lake Road and took in the horrible sight. Many people were leaving in a complete panic.

"Where on earth do we start, Roy? I sure don't envy the Chief right now." Johnny commented.

"Me either, Johnny. Well, let's go." he said as he pulled over the squad. They got out and proceeded to pull some gear as the engine team pulled in behind them. People were running toward them with a scared look in their eyes.

The rest of the engine crew held back as Captain Stanley grabbed one of the lesser frightened bystanders and asked. "What happened?"

"Everything was great. It was a clear, relaxing day. And then all of the sudden, the alarms by the dam started going off. No one could understand why. And then I could see some cracks forming in the dam!  
There were people on top of the dam, also, from what I could see. Once I saw those cracks, I just ran just like everybody else." he said.

"Roy, John.." Captain Stanley started.

Nothing more had to be said as the guys grabbed the basic gear they had pulled and headed toward the dam, following the trail while avoiding the stampede of people.

The trail had a pretty big turn and once they rounded that turn they saw..

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photos: None.

*  
From Patti or Jeff or Cassidy  
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 19:05:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [EmergencyTheaterLive] S.n.a.f.u.s. Compounded...

...a large earthen dam, oddly colored in newly applied, bright, red, white and blue colors that spelled out words that Cap couldn't yet make out.

"What th-?" Hank blurted.

The male witness started stammering self consciously.  
"Please don't have us arrested! W-we didn't mean any harm climbing on the dam. W-we just wanted to celebrate the bicentennial. You know, as a joke. So we painted it. To surprise everybody."

Captain Stanley nodded his head grimly even as he smiled.  
"Your dam defacement stunt's probably gonna save a lot of lives, mister. If you hadn't been up there, no one would have noticed those cracks forming at all, until it was too late. Good job!"

The man's jaw fell right open.

"Now tell me just how many of your bunch is in danger. I've got men making their way down there right now."

"Four. No, five... I think. Oh, I don't know!" he panicked, rubbing blue paint across his face that accompanied the gaudy red and white splashed all over him.

"Go find out, or people are gonna start drowning if we can't find them just as fast as we possibly can. There isn't much time left."

The man started blithering. But then he moved.

Cap ordered. "I want you back here as soon as you know more!"

The man ran to locate the others in his group.

Hank had a thought. He pulled out his HT. "Roy, Johnny. Watch for victims who might be covered with red white and blue paint! :: If they've been hurrying as much as this guy to commit graffiti, they're most likely coated in the stuff just as bad!:: he mused. "Be sure to keep a firm tie off on your lifelines while you search below!"

##10-4, Cap.## said Gage over the handy talkie. Shortly, Roy skidding downwards on the dry dust of the river's edge, replied as well.

Cap updated L.A. "L.A., this is Engine 51. We've located the incident. Breach is on the downriver side of the Prado dam. Not the larger expanse. Repeat. The main resevoir is uneffected.  
Only the riparian causeway's structural integrity is failing. Large cracks are evident in the spillway dike twenty feet high.

We're getting reports of at least five victims in danger of being swept away by escaping water. As yet, we haven't been able to spot them. Respond a seventh alarm assignment and an all terrain extrication team a.s.a.p!"

##10-4, 51. USAF has been notified. Also, Chopper nine is available for your victim search. They report their E.T.A. as four minutes.##

"10-4, L.A. Engine 51 out." Cap shouted over the hissing of violated churning water. He stood on the edge of the basin and started scanning the washfield with a pair of binoculars so he could direct his crews to the unseen, trapped people he knew were still below. ::Four minutes is an eternity! Those people haven't got four minutes. Two if we're very, very lucky.:: he thought unhappily.  
::Battalion 14's not gonna like this one bit.::

He knew the Prado dam's specs. Changes and additions to the flood control earthfill dam, built in 1941, now bestrided three California counties: Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino. Then, only 100,000 people lived downstream of the dam in areas that were affected by flooding on the Santa Ana River. But today,  
he knew over 2 million people lived downstream of the dam, in an area full of homes and businesses and places like Disneyland and Knott s Berry Farm.

He heard the National Weather Service issue a flood watch along the Santa Ana River over his radio. Soon, an evacuation center was set up at Corona High School, and residents could be seen jamming the few streets out of the evacuating neighborhoods.

Hypothetically, Hank was aware that the crack's flood breaching over the levees could flood 110,000 acres from Anaheim to the ocean, and had the potential to kill as many as 3,000 people.

The dire possibility was very clear in his mind when he remembered Battalion 14's briefing accounts of March 3, 1938, which was, back then, the date when a flood of massive pre-dam proportions, had became Orange County s worst natural disaster.

The town of Prado had simply disappeared.

That night had been a turning point for Orange County, which was situated on one of the most vulnerable flood plains west of the Mississippi River. In its aftermath, the government built the massive Prado Dam. And its bulk had, to date, offered enough protection to launch the development of modern day Orange County.  
"But now we've reached today. 1976.." Cap sighed nervously. "So much for the 190 year protection hype claim. I've always known that I didn't trust earthen made constructions." he mumbled. "Especially earthen dams."

Captain Stanley heard an excited hail from Kelly, scoping out the west side of the spillway. "Cap! Your two o'clock!  
A news chopper! Can we use them until ours gets here?"

Cap shot his head around. Then his walkie lifted to his mouth once more. "L.A., Engine 51. Looks like Air Channel Four's in our airspace covering this. Can you see if they can spot anything?!" he shouted.

##Stand by, 51.## said L.A.

About a minute later, Cap saw the news chopper jerk closer out of the respectful field it normally flew and over the moving fire vehicles still arriving to 51's solitary patch of high ground.

L.A.'s welcoming calm voice advised him of newly learned details.  
##News 4 reports four victims on a caisson about four hundred feet to the east, below your location. They are being inundated.##

"Copy that, L.A.. Gage! DeSoto! Did you get that?!" he shouted over the radio.

##Working our way down, Cap! Heading for the eastern side caisson!## Gage puffed as he scrambled in his rope and harness gear over the rocks and concrete tangles.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There! There! I see them, Roy. On the rocks to the left of the spillway!" Johnny shouted. "Marco! Gimme more slack!"  
he shouted back over his shoulder as he slid down the angled concrete slope leading into the main water channel.  
"Cap! We're gonna need the rope gun!" he hollered into his HT.  
"I think we can get it over one of these pylons!"

Chet Kelly reported a new victim find a thousand meters away in the wetland brush along the rising Santa Ana River downflow.  
##Stoker and I have got another one down here. We're bringing him up! Notify Rampart of a boy around twelve years old!  
No vital signs..##

Johnny looked over to his partner. "Roy? You wanna go back up and handle him?"

"Just as soon as I get you squared away. Cap and the others can work him until we've started rescuing these four." DeSoto said, thinking about priorities. "Once the rope and tackle's tight,  
I'll go.."

The two paramedics could just barely hear the sounds of the trapped men on the scrap of rock sticking out of the churning water. They were controlled and not yet panicking and every one of them was splashed liberally in bicentennial colored paint.  
"At least it's easier to keep track of them looking the way they do."

"Fortunately for them." Roy agreed, getting set to fire the rope gun that Cap had lowered down to him on a tether.

Cap prepared the men on the rocks. ##Rescuers are going to fire a line over to you, attached to a rope. Catch it and secure it to the most stable object you can find!## he hollered over the engine's loud speaker.

One of the men waved an affirmation.

A safety goggled DeSoto shot the line from the shoulder gun and it zinged out across the gushing flash flood and then in between two of the college students.

They scrambled desperately for the light line before the current swept it away. In their panic, one of their number tumbled and fell into the froth.

##One's in! One's in, Cap! Get some people downriver, now!!## DeSoto frantically radioed.

Hank looked up to the freeway bridge above the dam basin and got on the horn. ##Man in the water! Truck 99, get set with your catch rope move! He's twenty meters center but still on the surface!##

Firecrew dots on the overpass of Highway 10 buzzed into motion and distantly, Cap saw tan firecoats converge on either side of the concrete river bed as they drew a rope taut across the channel. The flailing man tumbled by in the rapids but managed to catch the lifeline in his armpit and he hung on for dear life. Firemen on either side strained to hold his weight in the swift water.

Battalion 14 shouted out encouragements to the man over bull horn as his crew hurried with a dam maintenance boat they had found to go get him. "We're coming to get you.  
Don't panic. Try to wrap your arms and legs around the rope!"

There was nothing else Cap could do for that victim, so Stanley concentrated on gaining status information on the drowned boy Station 36's paramedics were working on. He got a shake of a head and a gesture indicating nonreactive pupils from one of them as they bagged the young child and aggressively kept up attempts to revive him on the long board he had been hastily strapped into.

He updated his own men about that. ##DeSoto, boy's a code F.  
Stay with your situation.## he commanded.

Hank saw Johnny and Gage briefly pause on tying their belt ropes when they heard the bad news but then they started hurrying again.

Marco and Stoker quickly strung block and tackle pulleys onto the now fast river line the trapped men had secured.

Gage shouted. "We're coming over! Stay put!" he told them over the roar of the water springing from the gaping crack in the spillway near them. He could see that the water corps of engineers had opened the flood gates a while ago to ease the pressure on the smaller dam's back face. It hadn't yet effected the water levels around the trapped painters. But it made for high noise levels and there wasn't much that could be effectively communicated well without a radio between them.

Soon, Gage and DeSoto were hand over knee crawling,  
upside down on the line stringing between them and the victims, like tree moles. They were wearing extra belts, harnesses and lines along with life preservers enough for all of them, while extra fire crew stabilized their lifelines.

There was no chance for stokes work. The swelling swirling rapids didn't afford a level water surface for that kind of thing. Velocity and movement made stretcher extrication impossible. And the victims were too close to the unharmed mother dam for a lowered chopper basket.

"Gimme more slack!" DeSoto shouted.

A rolling wave from the flashflood reared up and drenched him, nearly causing him to lose his clinging grip on the horizontal crawling rope. He coughed as his head broke the surface once more.

"Roy! You ok?" shouted Johnny, remembering his still freshly healing left wrist, as he hung upside down just ahead of Roy.

"Yeah, I'm ok.." DeSoto sputtered, hooking that elbow around the rope instead of using his hand on that side.  
"Keep going! I'm not gonna get swept off. I'm hooked on.." he said of his belt snaffle on the tow line.

Soon, one by one, Gage and he tandem hung the men on the river line, barely three feet above water, and had them hauled to the edge of the dam basin and onto the concrete riverbed slope, safely.

Gage was supporting the last college student as he stood in the twisting water to unhook his belt off the rope,  
when a rogue wave toppled him off the concrete island.

Johnny made a fast grab and barely caught his wrist in time to save him before the flood carried him away.  
"I got you! Pull yourself up!" he shouted to the young paint splattered, red, white, and blue man in his grip.  
"Give me your other hand!" he grunted.

Johnny's helmet fell off and landed with a splash into the water.

It startled the rescue crews downstream when they saw it rush by their rope catch point.

Cap immediately hailed. ##Truck 99! Stand down. Just a helmet..## he told them.

He saw them give a thumbs up in reply through his binoculars.

Kelly was running to get out of the flood zone where he and Stoker had found the boy, when he shouted over his HT. "Gage! Woman in the water! See her?! She's gonna rush right by you in---"

Johnny quickly shoved his victim's control rope into Roy's hands. Then he let go of the line above him until he hung arms and head down towards the water.

He snatched at the nape of the limp woman's clothes at the neck and grabbed her by the hair. He fought until he got both legs wrapped around her tightly.

Then he pulled up on a braid to get her face out of the water.

He shouted and immediately let go of the woman when he saw a second smile beneath her jaw and ugly phone cord ligature hog tying her arms and ankles together behind her back. Her weight splashed back into the river, causing Johnny, Roy and the last man to rebound up in a slow bounce on the rescue line.

DeSoto shouted tightly over his radio. "99! Here comes another one!"

Just as fast, Gage countered with another radio burst.  
"Belay that call. Do not risk the attempt!" he told them and Battalion 14.

"What's the matter?! Why'd you let her go and call them off?!" DeSoto shouted angrily at Johnny.

Johnny gasped, trying to recover from what he saw.  
"Just keep pulling, Roy. There's no point. That wasn't a dam casualty at all. That was a murder victim!"

"What?!"

"Her throat was cut ear to ear and she was bound up with a phone cord. Let's just get out of here." Johnny said without strength.

The trembling young man strung between them stiffened and he could only let the two paramedics drag him along with them. "She's ... been killed by someone?"

"Yeah..." Gage told him softly. "Come on, we've got to hurry before that crack gives way any more."

"I know..." shivered the battered paint coated young man.  
" And I know what you both are probably thinking. We didn't do it."

"Never said you did, kid. " Johnny told him. "She was rigored already. Probably been gone for days." Gage said quickly. "Just keep crawling. Right now we've got our own lives to worry about saving. She'll be something for the police to figure out later when they do a body recovery."

The young man met Gage's eyes dully. "That's if they ever find her again."

Soon, all five men were carried to safety and treatment began to stave off shock and hypothermia from the cold flood waters.

Battalion 14 ordered all units to back away out of harm's way and they all retreated back to the highway overlooking the resevoir river valley. But the final destruction never came so Station 51 concentrated on caring for their victims and their gear until the call was over.

-  
Dixie took another sip of her coffee while she and Dr. Brackett and Doctor Early conmiserated Squad 51's adventure at the Prado locks a few days later.

Roy was talking animatedly about it with a hint of a chill. "Turns out that woman wasn't the only murder victim..."

Johnny reflected seriously. "Yeah, they found a whole bunch of remains, all along the trail along the river bottoms. Nine more women. Crockett says the way the bodies were killed indicates the work of a serial killer or some other kook.  
The FBI seems to think they might be another lead on Idaho's unsolved Green River Killer." Dixie gave a tiny shiver and set her mug of coffee down without drinking it. "Eeoow, then those happy go lucky dam painters ended up benefitting society far, far more than they originally intended."

Kel pursed his lips where he sat in his wheel chair. "I kind of feel sorry for those college kids. All they wanted to do was create a little bicentennial spirit without creating waves and they ended up with preventing a major catastrophe AND undercovering a mass murderer's work."

"You know," said Joe Early. "Stranger things have happened."

"Yeah, I know, when you least expect it." Kel smiled. "Just look at what happened to all of us.."

Gage was thoughtful. "You know, this week hasn't been all that bad."

Roy was incredulous. "Just how to you figure that?"

Johnny said, "Well,..it's just a little snafu effect taking hold. Nothing to shake a stick at."

"I beg to differ.." Dixie glared back. "I've been through h*ll this week worrying about the whole lot of you. Snafus aside."

"Well, things can only get better from this point on." Roy reasoned with a shy grin.

"Shhh, don't jinx us." Gage said, smacking his arm.

"You know, Johnny. That's part of the problem right there."  
said Roy.

"What is?" Johnny replied defensively.

"You're just plain too superstitious for your own good. If things are gonna happen, they're gonna happen and that's just all there is to it. Coincidence is just a man made thing.  
Like time. Something that's not real, but we truly like to believe it is, just for the thrill of it." he concluded.

"Speak for yourself. I didn't know that Dr. Brackett was almost gonna die this week, or you either, for that matter.." Johnny said indignantly. "No one can predict the future." he frowned.

Roy held up his finger and poked Johnny on the nose. "That's precisely my point, Junior. Right there. Learn from it.  
See ya, Dix, Doctor Brackett, Dr. Early. I'm gonna go wait for Gage here to stop preambling in general, out in the squad.  
Bye.." he waved.

"Take it easy, Roy." they said.

Johnny was left scratching his head at the ER counter while everyone else ... got back to work.

FIN

Episode Twenty Four

S.n.a.f.u.

--------------------------------------------

Photo: Gage climbing with an ambu bag in his teeth.

Photo: Dam flood gate open.

Photo: Animated rope gun river rescue.

Photo: Roy and Johnny sliding down a slope.

Photo: Five victims coming out of water.

Photo: Roy saying I told you so in Rampart hall.

Photo: Beautful creek sunlight and small waterfall.

Photo: Joe Early grinning like a cheshire cat.

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